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SHANGHAI (Reuters) - When Chinese automaker GAC Motor was preparing to enter the United States market it foresaw challenges in product localization and regulation, but didn't see any issue with the name of its flagship brand, Trumpchi.

Volkswagen AG dethroned Toyota Motor Corp. last year to become the the world’s best-selling automaker for the first time, propelled by surging demand in China which has been largely unaffected by the diesel-cheating scandal.

High-profile designees from global and domestic automakers, as well as photographers, journalists, female models, and the general public have begun to flock to Asia’s biggest auto show, which opened today. The Beijing Auto Show, which will continue until April 29, is a mega-stage event spanning an incredible 230,000 square meters. It has attracted 1,100 vehicles, including a record 118 new debut models from foreign and domestic automakers. The vehicles include SUVs, sedans, sporty cars, energy-efficient cars, and other models.

59825424 In early July, as the two neighbours India and China shared frosty vibes on the borders, inside China a different chemistry was being kindled. Indian government conducted two seminars focused on the automobile sector as part of its Make in India thrust in two Chinese cities. Reeling under a trade deficit of $51 billion with its largest trading partner, India is trying to woo Chinese FDI, curb imports and boost local production. The response to the Make in India seminar was overwhelming.

NEW DELHI/BEIJNG: Mahindra & Mahindra is re-thinking the strategy for its loss-making Korean automaker Ssangyong Motor Co, tapping the brakes on its planned push into the United States to focus instead on China. Mahindra's Executive Director Pawan Goenka told Reuters the company was in talks with Chinese firms to enter into a contract manufacturing agreement or form a joint venture to build Ssangyong vehicles in China, where it currently exports to from Korea and sells through a local distributor.

Volkswagen surpassed Toyota Motor to become the biggest automaker by deliveries in the first half, putting the company on track to capture the worldwide sales crown three years ahead of its target. Toyota on Tuesday said it sold 5.02 million vehicles in the six months through June, trailing the 5.04 million that Volkswagen reported earlier this month. Deliveries declined 1.5 per cent for Toyota and 0.5 per cent for Volkswagen. The German carmaker boosted sales in its domestic market and in broader western Europe by more than 6 per cent.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) released a report today, saying that passenger vehicles sales in China increased 9.7% in the month of July. This is lower than the 11.5% and 13.9% growth in sales experienced in the months of June and May respectively.
In terms of total vehicles sold, sales rose to 1.32 million, indicating an increase of 6.7% year-over-year (YoY).
Analysts attribute the abnormally warm weather in the month of July, and FIFA World Cup fever for the decline in auto sales growth as car buyers found multiple reasons to stay indoors.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp will likely delay building its premium Lexus brand in China for at least a few years, as growth in China's auto market slows to a crawl and a weak yen makes it cheaper to keep making cars in Japan.

The Shanghai Auto Show is in full swing this week, and automakers from around the world are showing off their latest products. The Chinese auto market is a young one, but it is already the world's biggest, and a key region for an industry that is still recovering in the U.S., and collapsing in Europe.